The Ontario Public Service Employees
Union (OPSEU) has reached an agreement with the Ministry of
Community Safety and Correctional Services with respect to
the nearly month-long health and safety dispute at
Hamilton-Wentworth Detention Centre (HWDC).
In a settlement achieved in the late
evening of September 11, any discipline or reduction in pay
by the employer will be subject to arbitration before the
Grievance Settlement Board. In addition, Correctional
Officers in every institution across Ontario will now be
allowed to wear their protective vests at any time during
the course of their duties.
“The fact that our officers will be able
to properly protect themselves on the job is a major
victory,” said Warren (Smokey) Thomas, OPSEU President. “The
sacrifices made by the officers at HWDC allowed us to
achieve that. Our members’ safety is of paramount
importance.”
Dan Sidsworth, Provincial Chair of
OPSEU’s Corrections Division, said that while the union
would have liked to resolve all the issues that arose during
the dispute, the health and safety issues were the most
important. The settlement allowed for provisions that would
not have been possible at an Ontario Labour Relations Board
(OLRB) hearing.
“We made gains in health and safety, and
our members will be allowed to dispute any disciplinary or
economic sanctions by the employer,” Sidsworth said. “If the
OLRB hearing had gone ahead, the main argument would have
been about the work stoppage, and the safety issue would
have been a side matter for the Board.”
Sidsworth thanks the members of the
Corrections Division across Ontario for the tremendous
backing they have shown the officers in Hamilton over the
past month. “The outpouring of support from all of our
facilities has been unprecedented,” said Sidsworth.
“Officers in Hamilton took a firm stand not only for
themselves, but for every correctional officer who risks
their life to protect the people of Ontario. Ontario’s
Correctional Officers thank them, and the union thanks them
for their determination, strength and conviction.”
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